Read Grave Decisions (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 7) for Free Online

perfect moment came crashing down when Christy popped up at their side.
    “Do you guys want to go into the haunted maze with us?”
    Nick ceased his rocking and narrowed his eyes. “That’s closed until tomorrow. You can’t go in there.”
    Christy rolled her eyes. “Are you going to arrest us for going in the haunted maze that’s right over there?” She pointed to the fall festival attraction across the parking lot. It was absolutely huge. “Besides, Cooper swears he’s had a vision that there’s a body in there. Don’t you want to see if he’s right?”
    “Not particularly,” Nick replied. “Just for the sake of argument, though, that’s a haunted maze. There are like fifty fake bodies in there.”
    “Yes, but Cooper says someone has dropped a real one in there to hide a crime,” Christy said, her eyes sparkling. “He’s extremely smart and wise.”
    “He’s extremely annoying is what he is,” Nick muttered, squeezing Maddie’s hip to get her to look up. “What do you think, love? Do you want to check out the maze?”
    Maddie wasn’t particularly keen on stumbling through a dark maze built to scare people, but there was something about the way Nick asked the question that set her teeth on edge. “Sure,” she said after a moment’s contemplation. “How about we walk through the maze and then head home to take your bath?”
    Nick tilted Maddie’s head up so he could rub his thumb over her cheek. “Are you sure? You were really looking forward to the bonfire.”
    “It turns out I was really looking forward to spending time with you,” Maddie countered. “We can have our own personal bonfire at home if we want. Then we can add a blanket.”
    “And wandering hands,” Nick whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Maddie’s mouth before turning to Christy. “We’re in,” he said. “We’ll follow you guys over there.”
    “Great.” Christy scampered back to Cooper’s side and Nick didn’t miss the pleasing smile the pseudo celebrity shot in Maddie’s direction. Thankfully Maddie missed it because she was gazing into Nick’s eyes.
    “Can I ask you something, Nicky?”
    “Always, love,” Nick said, keeping Maddie close as he directed her toward the maze.
    “Are you just doing this because you want Cooper to be proven wrong?”
    Nick’s expression was rueful. “Am I that obvious?”
    “I love you anyway,” Maddie said. “Sadly, I’m looking forward to him being proven wrong, too.”
    “That’s because you have a heart, Mad,” Nick said, releasing Maddie so he could grab her hand for their walk. “You’re the best person I know for a reason.”
    “Can we add bubbles to the bath?”
    The question came out of nowhere and made Nick bark out a laugh. “I think I can live with that,” he said. “Just for the record, though, how come?”
    “I got a new bubble bath that smells like flowers and I’ve been dying to try it.”
    “That’s as good a reason as any,” Nick said, tugging on Maddie’s hand. “Come on, Mad. Let’s get this over with so we can move on to the fun portion of tonight’s events.”

    “ T HIS IS ghastly ,” Maddie said, wrinkling her nose as she studied a bloody scarecrow mounted above a Halloween dinner table that included enough fake body parts that Maddie wanted to gag. “I thought it was supposed to be scary. This is gross.”
    “This is gross,” Nick agreed, keeping Maddie in front of him so he could make sure they weren’t separated. He could hear Cooper’s fan club giggling as they followed him through the maze. “He’s putting on quite the show, isn’t he?”
    “He likes the attention,” Maddie said. “That’s all he cares about.”
    “I’m starting to think being jealous of him is a waste of time,” Nick said. “You hate him more than I do.”
    “I think being jealous of anyone is a waste of time for you,” Maddie counted. “You’re all I’m ever going to want.”
    “Right back at you, love,” Nick said, yanking